XI - Passion / Lust / Strength Tarot
energy, vibrancy, charisma
symbol: power, vitality, sexual transformation
path of theth: chesed - geburah
archetype: Isis, Ishtar/Inanna, Astarte, Aphrodite, Babalon
On this card we see a strong and dominant woman, riding a lion. The lion breathes fire which inflames the rider without harming her. The chakras are ignited from below and the fire-serpent is wandering up to her crown. The crown bears the eight-pointed expanding star, the symbol of Ishtar (or chaos magic nowadays)
In older tarot decks the woman is taming the lion, which is different from riding him. Instead of restraining the beasts strength she is rather benefiting from it, resisting the destructive force of it's flames and using the energy for her own purposes. While the beast has power it can only use in a destructive way the rider is channelling the energy through her body to her mind where she is able to use it in a creative and constructive manner. The uni-corned beast represents the fertilizing sword. It is refered to the celestial son, the liberator or the alchemical "spiritus mercurius" in context to the woman who eventually catches and bridles the beast. Depending on the myth this woman can be a virgin or a harlot. In christianity she is represented by both - the mother mary and mary magdalena - let's just say there is a reason they have the same name.